This investigation will involve an examination of age differences in iconic memory, which represents the very brief storage of visual material immediately following the presentation of a stimulus. The role of the icon in visual information processing will be considered with regard to two models of perceptual functioning: the two-stage processing model and the stimulus persistence model. The two-stage processing model maintains that the icon serves as an interface between two stages of information processing. Changes with age are assumed to involve a slowing of each stage, independent of changes in the duration of the icon. The stimulus persistence model views the icon as a neural representation of the stimulus which persists longer in the nervous systems of elderly than young adults. The present investigation will examine the relative adequacy of each model in light of the data collected. The present study will also consider the duration and rate of decay of the icon in relation to adult age. Since sensory memory is typically seen as the first stage of information processing, if elderly adults exhibit a difficulty in this initial stage, they may be expected to display difficulty during subsequent stages. This study should contribute to an understanding of age-related differences in perceptual processing.